Humane Label Turkey Slaughter In the U.S. and elsewhere, turkeys, chickens and other birds are intentionally excluded from so-called humane slaughter laws, which otherwise require that farmed animals be “stunned”— rendered insensible to pain— before their throats are slit. This … Continue reading →

So-called humane dairy farming also involves the slaughter of male calves born on the farm. Since males cannot produce milk, and have not been selectively bred for competitive meat characteristics, they are considered more or less worthless without the veal market. Indeed, the veal industry would not exist without the dairy industry.

I love having conversations about chickens. Luckily, I get to chat about chickens quite often though my work with United Poultry Concerns and other animal advocacy groups, but my joy can turn quickly to frustration as I often get asked which eggs are ethical to eat.

Any time consumers of meat, eggs or dairy advocate for “humane” treatment of farm animals, they confront an unavoidable paradox: the movement to treat farm animals better is based on the idea that it is wrong to subject them to unnecessary harm; yet, killing animals we have no need to eat constitutes the ultimate act of unnecessary harm.

During the holiday gift-giving season, a popular choice for gift-donations are programs that send live farm animals as “gifts” to help alleviate hunger and poverty in low-income countries. Our purpose here is to make the criticisms of these campaigns public and to encourage alternatives that are more effective and more compassionate.